Thomas Becket Research Paper

Position: Thomas Becket did not actively seek out martyrdom and is simply a martyr in every sense of the word. Thomas Becket never sought out power in any point in his life, it was simply given to him. The same is true of his martyrdom. Becket is quoted as saying, “While I ate out of the King’s dish/to become servant of God was never my wish” (Eliot 45). Becket never asked to become archbishop or a member of the clergy. These positions were given to him and ultimately caused his martyrdom by creating conflicts with King Henry. Because he never asked for his positions of power, he never sought out martyrdom. Additionally, Becket says, "Everything is as it should be for divine service" (movie). He truly believed that he had no control over what power was given him and if he was chosen for archbishop, it was for a reason. Because of this belief, it becomes more clear that Becket never wanted to become a martyr and was simply doing his job as the Archbishop of Canterbury. …show more content…
He says in the film, “God’s honor is greater than a king’s” (movie). Becket did everything in his power to please God. He sought the honor of God rather than martyrdom. Becket also worked very hard to live up to the honor of God; “Teach me now how to serve you with all my heart...Make me worthy” (movie). Thomas Becket wanted to be the best that he could be and live in the image of God. By striving for this honor, his actions angered others, ultimately leading to his death. He decided to take action to live up to the honor of God to make himself a better person and priest, not to become a martyr, even though that is what ultimately